Rabbit Seasoning

{{Infobox film

|image = WBrabbitseasoningTC.png

|caption =

|director = Charles M. Jones

|story = Michael Maltese

|animator = {{Plainlist|

}}

|layout_artist = Maurice Noble

|background_artist = Philip de Guard

|starring = {{Plainlist|

}}

|music = Carl W. Stalling

|producer = Edward Selzer

|studio = Warner Bros. Cartoons

|distributor = {{Plainlist|

}}

|released = {{Film date|1952|09|20|U.S.}}

|color_process = Technicolor

|runtime = 6:50

|language = English

}}

Rabbit Seasoning is a 1952 Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies cartoon directed by Chuck Jones.{{cite book |last1=Beck |first1=Jerry |last2=Friedwald |first2=Will |title=Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies: A Complete Illustrated Guide to the Warner Bros. Cartoons |date=1989 |publisher=Henry Holt and Co |isbn=0-8050-0894-2 |page=204}} Released on September 20, 1952, the short stars Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd.{{cite book |last1=Lenburg |first1=Jeff |title=The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons |date=1999 |publisher=Checkmark Books |isbn=0-8160-3831-7 |access-date=6 June 2020 |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780816038312/page/60/mode/2up |pages=60–62 |via=Archive.org}}

It is the sequel to the previous year's Rabbit Fire, and the second in the "hunting trilogy" directed by Jones and written by Michael Maltese (the only major difference in format between them is that Rabbit Fire takes place during the spring, while Rabbit Seasoning takes place in the autumn. The third cartoon, Duck! Rabbit, Duck!, takes place in the winter). The short was produced by Eddie Selzer for Warner Bros. Cartoons, Inc., and is the first WB cartoon on which layout artist Maurice Noble received credit.

It is considered to be among Jones' best and most important films. In Jerry Beck's 1994 book The 50 Greatest Cartoons, Rabbit Seasoning is listed at number 30.{{cite book |last1=Beck |first1=Jerry |title=The 50 Greatest Cartoons: As Selected by 1,000 Animation Professionals |date=1994 |publisher=Turner Publishing |isbn=978-1878685490}}

Plot

In the forest, Daffy Duck places numerous signs proclaiming rabbit season to catch the attention of passersby, and leaves false rabbit tracks to ensnare Elmer Fudd into a misinformed hunting spree. When Elmer fails to notice Bugs Bunny right in front of him, Daffy intervenes, urging Elmer to shoot the rabbit immediately. However, Bugs manages to trick Daffy into demanding to Elmer, "Shoot me now!", resulting in Daffy getting shot.

Several rounds of arguing ensue; Bugs continues to goad Daffy into verbal missteps, so that Daffy falls victim to his own arguments, enduring multiple shots from Elmer's gun. Daffy's frustration grows as he is repeatedly outwitted. In the end, Daffy, defeated, angrily approaches Bugs and tells him, "You're despicable."

Reception

Animator J. J. Sedelmaier writes, "Of director Chuck Jones' three "Shoot 'im now!" cartoons, Rabbit Seasoning has always been my favorite. Bugs, Daffy, and Elmer are so tightly defined as the characters we all know and love that they're almost parodies of themselves. Even though this short is the second of the series, it's still fresh and tight. What's also amazing is how it doesn't feel like a cartoon that's almost sixty years old. The timing of the cuts — Daffy's expression when Elmer says to Bugs that he "hasn't even seen a wabbit yet" — and the miscellaneous, eccentric W. C. Fields-like sound effects that seem to ooze out of Daffy are still cool today."{{cite book |editor1-last=Beck |editor1-first=Jerry |title=The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes Cartoons |date=2020 |publisher=Insight Editions |isbn=978-1-64722-137-9 |page=153}}